Play Dirty
by littlebuster
Summary: Dandy Mott is a perfectly groomed, aristocratic boy. Dakota is a sweet but troublesome girl. Her whole childhood she had known Dandy as her best friend. Her playmate. She was his partner in crime. She stuck with him through good times and bad, but as she grew she didn't except to fall in love with him. But, hey, love has a funny way.
1. The Kid Next Door

1942

The soft sound of ambiance surrounded me. I could hear nothing but the sweet melody of birds singing, bees humming, and the constant squeak of the rusty chain bars supporting the swing. I had just moved to Jupiter, Florida, because my parents got a promotion. We lived in a middle class house just across the street from a colossal manor called the Mott Estate. I could see it from my new bedroom window, and how it was gorgeous. The steep pointed roof stooped tall against the horizon, into the pale blue stretch of sky. It looked like a castle. Like something from a fairy tale. Now at the park I can still see the tip of the house just brushing above the thicket of trees surrounding the park.

I looked up at the sky as a flock of geese flew over and when my eyes returned to ground level again I was greeted with the site of a well groomed little boy. He wore a crimson sweater vest over a nicely collared shirt with slacks and black dress shoes. He was far too over dressed to be a casual middle class child, so I figured he must have belonged to the Mott Estate household, given it was so close by.

"Hi," I said first. My voice came out high and soft, flowing nicely with the bows in my pigtails and ruffled play dress.

"Hello," the boy said louder than me. "I never saw you before."

"I just moved here," I replied.

"Oh. To the house just over there?" He pointed across the street at my house.

I nodded.

"That house is haunted," he said very casually.

"Liar. It's not haunted."

"Hmm. Maybe not," the boy suggested just as causally as before. "How old are you?"

"Ten."

"Me too."

Silence. We were quiet for what seemed like an hour and I wished it would end. It was growing more uncomfortable and awkward by the passing second so I finally spoke.

"My name is Dakota."

The little boy raised his eye brows as if he'd never heard the name before.

"Mine is Dandy."

I raised my eye brows in return, because _I_ had never heard _that_ name before.

"Nice to meet you," I lied. This kid made me feel kind of funny. I liked how he looked. He was _cute._ But I would never let anyone know that, for as long as I lived. At least I had a new... _friend,_ I guess you'd call him.

"Come to my house," Dandy ordered rather than asked. "It's really big."

I wasn't about to take orders from him, and I certainly was not going to his house right now. I had _just_ met him. But I didn't want him to get mad, so I made something up.

"I'm still unpacking boxes for my bedroom," this wasn't a lie at all actually.

"Tomorrow then. Bring your parents too, we can have breakfast together," he was pushy.

"Okay," I said, finally giving in. At least I can see what the inside of the giant castle looks like.

"I'll tell Mother that you're coming over tomorrow morning," Dandy said and turned on his heel to walk away.

"Bye," I called after him, but he didn't reply.

That night I told my parents, who were delighted to go, but I didn't really want to.

Just before bed I looked out my window, overlooking the great majesty. The stone was strikingly beautiful against the silver ghost breath of moonlight. The long pathway snaked through the fresh lawn, neighbored by rows of Bluebells and Violets. It was all enclosed by a gleaming silver fencing, with a giant pointed gate up front. It was a chilling sight, and in that instant I changed my mind. Now I longed to visit the mystical storybook-like manor. I would kill to live there. I would be just like a little princess, and every day I would water the beautiful flowers and dance in the giant lawn. Dandy had it all at his finger tips. Lucky boy, he seemed too bratty to deserve a palace like this. I climbed into my bed, now excited for tomorrow and drifted into a sweet slumber.

The next day I sprung out of bed, got ready, and we all headed over to the Mott Estate. On the way to the house I nagged my parents for why we couldn't have bought a house like that, but they just shook their heads and laughed at me like I was joking. I walked slow along the pathway, taking in the size of the yard and appreciating the flowers. When my parents rang the doorbell they told me to hurry and I hadn't realized how slow I had been walking to look at every thing.

The door opened and a darker skinned woman answered the door and smiled at us. "Mrs. Mott is in the dinning room."

We all filed into the mansion and an elegant lady hurried into the foyer. She had strawberry blonde hair and green eyes, just like me.

"You must be the family my Dandy has been talking about!" She said. "My name is Gloria Mott, I am very glad to have you for breakfast."

I looked glanced around the area for Dandy there was no sign of him.

"Thank you Mrs. Mott," my mother said. And then she went off and introduced herself and then my parents talked for a long time with Mrs. Mott until I finally had to ask where Dandy was.

"Oh dear, he's upstairs, I'll tell Dora to fetch him for breakfast," Mrs. Mott said to me.

After some time of waiting in the dining room, Dandy strolled in but stopped in the doorway.

"Oh there you are Dandy, _darling_ ," Mrs. Mott stood up and gave his shoulders a squeeze. "Mr. and Mrs. Shepard, this is my son."

"Hello," Dandy smiled. "Your daughter is awfully pretty."

 _Did he really just say that?_ He looked directly at me with his stupid smile but I hid my face so he wouldn't see me blush.

My parents laughed. Dandy certainly wasn't shy.

"Take a seat Dandy, please," Mrs. Mott wasn't too amused. He sat down directly across from me. I didn't like Dandy. He was cute, but I didn't like him. Not even as a _friend_. I didn't like brats, period. Dandy definitely fit in that category. I was open to giving him a try though. It wasn't like I could just go to school without any friends. I would _die._

"I'm going to St. Kit's Elementary," I told Dandy, hoping he would say he went there as well. He looked at me for a moment before he spoke.

"That's a private school, right?"

My hope drained. Now I would have to go to school friendless. What if something happened? What if the other kids didn't like me? What if the girls there are mean? What if the boys there are mean? What if... no I was a tough girl. I could handle anything.

"Um, yeah. Where do you go?" I couldn't help but ask.

"I'm home schooled," Dandy replied.

"Oh."

"I wasn't behaving in class, and I was too much of a 'handful for the teachers,' my mother said," Dandy explained with air quotes and devilish smirk.

"You must of had done something awful," I said.

His eyes widened as well as his smile. "Oh I did," his tone was the most proud of I've ever heard within a three word sentence.

My curiosity soared. Just as I was about to ask him what it was he began speaking again.

"Mother hired lots of different teachers to home school me but they all quit because they couldn't handle me," Dandy said. "I bit most of them."

I let a few giggles escape my mouth. _Bit them?_

Dora arrived with a platter of various different fine breakfast choices. After we ate, without asking to be excused, Dandy climbed out of his chair and tugged on the ruffles of my fluffy pink dress.

"Come on, lets go upstairs and play," he said.

I looked at my parents for permission but they were lost in conversation with Mrs. Mott.

"Come onnn," I heard Dandy whine next to me and tug harder.

I finally obliged and climbed off my chair and followed him, giving into his desire.

Once I entered Dandy's room, it was like entering Toy Land. It was a huge room, bigger than mine, and my parents, and probably my whole first floor. My first thought was, _that's a lot of toys._ They were everywhere, he even had the really big toys that were extremely overpriced and triple the size of the child playing with it. He had a croquet set in the center of his room, believe it or not. It was all so surreal, like a fantasy or dream I was in.

"We can play with anything you want," Dandy said, noticing how in awe I was of his room.

"A-Alright..." I stuttered, slowly beginning to wander around the room, studying all of his toys.

For a while we played with puppets until he got bored and we played "house" with dolls he had never played with before I came over. I figured his mother must have bought him every toy she thought he would desire to have, even a doll house that was for girls, that lie untouched in a corner until today. After dolls we played croquet, and finally my parents came upstairs and told me we had to go, but I had found myself having so much unexpected fun with Dandy, him and just had to _beg_ my parents to let me stay for longer and his mother insisted. She seemed very happy that her son had a playmate, and Dandy seemed happy too. The only thing I didn't understand was why the nanny, Ms. Evans, was keeping such a close eye on us. She obviously had a reason, because she stuck to us like glue. Maybe Dandy had done something to a previous playmate. I shuddered at the thought. I never trusted him to begin with, but these thoughts were no reason to trust him any less than I had before.

After the first day of school the following week, I had decided school was too boring and I had began to go to Dandy's house every day after I got home. He was more than delighted to have me over and eventually I found Dandy as a friend, then a close friend, and finally even a best friend. We were more than play mates, he was like family, and I began to feel comfort in going to his house after school.

1944

After I had been living across from the Mott Estate for two years, at twelve years old, I had a bad day. I came home from school in tears, because one of my friend's had stabbed me in the back and started a mean rumor that I liked the nerdiest kid in school and everyone laughed.

I cried all the way to Dandy's house and up to his room and even into his arms. It was such an odd feeling. Being wrapped in his arms. We were both going through a stage in life where boys begin to like girls better than frogs and girls begin to care about what guys think of them and how they look. As my head rested on his shoulder, I began to notice how good the scent of his cologne was. And his piercing eyes. Dandy was different than the rest of the boys, but I liked it. He was extremely well groomed but he seemed to act a lot younger than twelve.

I told him what happened, but when I did I immediately regretted it. In all the hurt I had been in I had forgotten how violent Dandy can get, like when his mother complained about the stray cat and so he killed it.

"I can kill them. I'll kill them all," Dandy said, his eyes stripped of expression. I hadn't seen him like this. It was kind of bothering me.

"No, it's okay, Dandy, I don't want them dead," I was half joking. He had me sit down with him on the miniature sofa he had in his room.

"Dakota," the sound of my name leaving his mouth was incredibly familiar. "They made you cry."

"But-"

"They hurt your feelings. If I don't do something..." he picked a strand of my long strawberry blonde hair and twirled it around his thumb, "they'll keep going."

I realized he was serious.

"Dandy, that's ridiculous."

"It's true."

"Killing someone is an awful crime," I objected. "They'll lock you up."

He raised his eye brows.

"And when you're locked up, you don't get luxury like this. They'll throw you in a cell just like anyone else. You'll be there with poor people," I continued, hoping I was convincing enough to get him away from this subject.

"Mother would bail me out in a heart beat."

"But there's a chance you still wouldn't be able to get out," I said quickly. "This conversation is over, Dandy, you're not killing anyone."

Dandy rolled his eyes, and huffed his breath, but when I suggested we could play a game he lightened up.

"What should we play?" He asked excitedly. He was clearly on board with any idea that had to do with fun and games.

"Anything you want," I allowed him to pick. Dandy always loved being in charge of things, especially play time.

"Truth or Dare!" he answered very quickly, as it were on the tip of his tongue and he had been waiting all day to cry out the answer.

"Okay." I said cautiously. Dandy tended to go overboard with Truth or Dare, but I had already disagreed with him enough tonight, and if I made him throw a fit, that would be the end of the night.

"Truth or Dare?" Dandy began excitedly. He seemed very eager and I feared for what he was thinking of.

"Dare..."

"I dare you to not dare me anything for the rest of the night," Dandy said.

"So I can only make you do truth?"

"Yeah."

"That's not fair. You can't do that," I said.

"Yes I can. I just did."

"No you can't."

He stomped his foot. " _Yes I can!_ " He practically screamed. He was definitely going to throw a tantrum if I didn't feed into his desire _again_ , so I sighed in defeat.

"Fine."

He seemed pretty smug with himself. "Now you ask me."

"Um, truth?"

He nodded for me to continue.

"Would you rather be poor and have your mother or be rich and not have her?" I thought this one was good and would take thought, but he answered immediately.

"Easy. I would be rich and not have her."

 _Damn he was shallow._

"Truth or Dare?" He asked me.

"Dare," I replied. Everyone knew truth was for sissies even though Dandy had just arranged it so he could only be truthed.

"I dare you to sit right here, in this chair, and let me tie you up, and you can't scream or try to leave until I say," he said without taking a breath in between as if he memorized it or was very excited about it.

 _Oh no._ I had done this multiple with him before, when we were younger, he would have me tied up so he could spank me, and another time he ripped the hem of my dress all the way up my thigh, almost to my panties, or him touching my non existent, prepubescent breast over the fabric of my dress. He loved this game because it gave him so much dominance over me, which I hated. He loved the power and the role of being in charge, and the fact that me and him could do _whatever. he. wanted_.

After I climbed into the chair he tied me up really tightly this time. My heart was racing and my stomach was full of butterflies just trying to imagine what he was planning.

"Okay. Your turn," he says, and begins humming sweetly while waiting for me to think of a truth.

"Have you ever killed someone?" I asked, mostly joking but I wanted to set my worries to rest about killing the bullies he was talking about earlier.

He moved forward and lowered his face so he was eye level to me, just inches apart. His eyes studied me and he seemed to be in a trance as he looked at me. He gave me a look that resulted with butterflies in my stomach.

"You're very beautiful Dakota," he said, and his hand came up to meet the side of my face. His fingers met the burning flesh of my cheek and I shuddered beneath his touch. "Those bullies were probably jealous." He skimmed down the side of my face leaving a trail of goosebumps, before he turned away from me.

"Yes, I have killed someone."

My gasp was caught in my throat, for he had turned around and kissed me in one quick movement. My heart exploded into pieces as I thought so many different things at one time. Our lips were pressed together and I absolutely couldn't believe it, even though it was happening right before me. His kiss was sloppy, he'd never done it before, and his lips were clumsy against mine. I let the portion of my body that was free from the ropes fall against him during the five second long kiss and I leaned back when he finally pulled away. I longed for his retreating touch as it faded away.

He stood with a pleased look on his face. Not exactly excited about his first kiss, but rather pleased as if he got a good grade on his spelling test. He had revealed to me that he had killed someone just now but my mind was on the kiss. It wasn't too big of a surprise he was guilty of murder. Dandy had violent tendencies. But now when I stared at him, I thought nothing except for the feeling of his warm lips against mine. I knew that I would rememeber this moment forever and treasure it always. It was my first kiss. _He_ was my first kiss. From this day on, every time I had a moment with Dandy that resulted in butterflies, his mouth on mine would come to mind. The immediate thought in the back of my head. I longed for the day this would happen again.

* * *

Ayy I hoped you liked chapter one! XDD _Remember_ this story is going to follow Dakota through life up to like her mid twenties or something so be prepared for future chapters! :) See u real soon.


	2. Plan B

1946

I was considered a teenager now, I had begun to... _mature._ At fourteen, Boys were a common subject on my mind. I was getting taller, while me and most of the girls had starting growing first, naturally. I had a few inches on the boys, including Dandy.

Over the years I had dropped in and out of interests as I grew, and time passed, but the only thing that didn't change, was me going to Dandy's house every single day after school. We had such an unrealistic connection I could hardly believe it, let alone everyone else. I never brought Dandy up at school, but when my friends asked to come over, I automatically responded with: _I'm busy,_ or _I have too much homework, sorry_. Eventually they stopped asking. I just liked spending time with Dandy better. I still didn't trust him.

I excepted as Dandy and I aged, we would have less "playtime," and that we would have outgrown it by now, but it began to get _more_ frequent _._ He was obsessed with playing childish games. Sometimes they would take a certain _turn._ We still would play hide and seek and tag _still_ , but often we would play "acting," like pretend. His favorite game was probably the one where he would tie me up and do whatever he wanted. The only reason why I agreed to play his awful games, was because I was scared. But that didn't stop me from coming over to his house. When I was there with him, I felt like I was at home.

Back when we were ten or so, within the same year I met him, Dandy made up a game where I was his princess or queen (whatever it may be), and he would play as a king or a superhero and we would behead his stuff animals, and he would save me from monsters, fire-breathing dragons, and, his favorite of course, "Lord Doom." Dandy played as every single character but me, and even spoke for the toys that were about to be beheaded. I liked the game at the time, but now I realize that it was an awful game, with evil concepts. I knew Dandy was selfish, spoiled, and impulsive, but _this_ was when I realized Dandy was not okay. He was mentally unstable.

1942

"Commander Dandy to the rescue!" Dandy's voice cracked. He was wearing a sheet tied around his neck as a cape, and he stood on top of the sofa to gain some height. One of his front teeth were missing, and his hair was a ruffled mess of bedhead.

"Help me Commander Dandy!" I played along merrily. I was tied up with a lion stuffed animal sitting nearby. "He's going to eat me!"

"Not on my watch!" Dandy said uncreatively.

He leaped off the sofa and grabbed a kitchen blade. Dandy dashed past me, scooping up the poor toy by the arm and stabbed it's exposed belly, repeatedly.

"Die! Die!" He screamed. "Die you wretched beast!"

I watched him slam it the ground, while stuffing began to fly everywhere. My smile faded as he stomped on it over and over.

"Dandy it's dead," I told him.

" _Commander_ Dandy!" He shot me an icy glare. "And it's not dead!"

I sighed and continued to watch him, until finally he sliced off it's head with the knife.

As he bent down to untie me, his warm breath ghosted over my cheek as his hands worked on the knot at my lower back. I felt my stomach tickle. Dandy stood up, without helping me up. Even though I didn't expect him to, it still would have been nice.

"Now I need to just make sure he'll stay dead," He says and hurries over to a night stand. He pulls out something and comes back, revealing a box of matches.

" _No_ , Dandy," I almost yelled, it came out so loud by accident.

He glares at me with indignation, and I knew I shouldn't have said that.

The word "no," was an affront to Dandy. Every time the word was directed towards him, depending on the level of emphasis, he would either, 1.) stand with his arms crossed in a furious scowl, or 2.) he would explode into tears and throw a temper tantrum fit for a toddler all while breaking everything in sight in a fifteen minute long mission of ultimate destruction.

"Yes!" He cries out the word, as his eyes begin to water and his lip begins to tremble.

"You can't light a fire in here," I told him. I decided to try to stay strong and hold my ground.

"Yes I can! This is my house not yours!" He screamed. His tears were in thick watery streams down his cheeks now. He was louder than I was expecting. "Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine!"

"Can't we just go outside and-"

"No! _I'm_ the boss! Not _you_!" He stomped at every few words. I retreated after attempting to stand firm this time.

"Alright, Dandy, you're the boss," I sighed in defeat.

" _Commander_ Dandy."

"Sorry," I apologized but in that moment he dashed over to me and shoved me hard. I fell on the ground with a gasp and my fear suddenly snapped to anger.

"What was _that_ for?" I snarled. I wasn't scared of hurting his feelings anymore. I let my vicious emotion free. It took a certain level of skill to keep Dandy pleased. I had to constantly nurse his sour feelings and bend over backwards.

"Mwahahaha!" He raised his arms into a high V, as if there was a crowd of people cheering for him. "The Evil Lord Doom has come to kill you!"

He expected to me to say something like, "Oh whatever shall I do? If only that most handsome Commander Dandy were here to save me!" but I didn't. I wasn't going to play along. He wasn't even making sense.

"You just said you were Commander Dandy," I told him.

He shook his head violently. "Now I'm Lord Doom," he growled.

"But-"

"I changed my mind! _Okay?_ "

I rolled my eyes but then he pinned me to the ground so that we were almost nose to nose. I could feel his hot breath tickle across my face.

"I'm going to kill you now, my little princess."

1946

I still have the scar from that day. We had to wrap it up in gauze so Ms. Gloria or my parents wouldn't see it. He had me tied up, and he scooped up my big ruffly dress and pulled it all the way up my thighs to make sure blood didn't get on it. I remember my heart racing at that moment, so much skin being exposed to him. He took that damn kitchen blade and sliced a three inch long gash beneath my right knee cap. I had cried and screamed so hard against my gag. When I didn't want to come back to play, he convinced me.

"It was only pretend!" He had said.

I remember he had began crying and I still said I didn't want to go over. The day I cracked, was about a week after the incident when Ms. Gloria called me over, begging for me to be Dandy's playmate again, he was in such an awful fit. When I came to his house, I remember clearly as a tormented maid was crouched before him, in a state of trembling fear. He was sitting in bed, destroyed toys among the comforter, glaring and huffing with his arms crossed.

We had many on and off times but in the end I always ended up forgiving him for whatever he had done.

Today was Friday and after school I went to Dandy's house. He would never understand the excitement of Friday. The school week ending and at last, break. A breath of fresh air, and an entire weekend ahead. Dandy never had to go to school, because he was home schooled, so he would never get to experience a real weekend. Tonight there was a school dance and I couldn't wait to go. My mother had bought me a beautiful dress and I was going to dance with a cute boy.

"I have a dance tonight at my school," I told Dandy.

"What do you mean?" He furrowed his brow like he was looking at a difficult math problem.

I giggled a little bit. He didn't know too much outside the gates of his manor.

"It's usually in the school gym. We turn the lights down low and play fun music to dance to," I explained. "And then, when they play the slow, love song, you grab someone you think is cute and slow dance."

"And you're going to do the slow dance?" Dandy asked.

"Hopefully," my eyes lit excitedly. I thought of the cute boy named Billy, that sat next to me in math. Maybe he would dance with me.

"If Billy asks me."

"Who's Billy?" Dandy scrunched his nose.

"He's this cute boy who sits next to me in math," I said. As soon as it came out I thought maybe I should be telling my girlfriends about Billy instead of _Dandy_.

"And you're going to dance with him?"

I nodded excitedly but it wasn't until after I did that that I realized the Dandy had an extreme tendency to get jealous. I couldn't help it though. I was so excited for tonight.

Dandy's expression went blank.

"What about me?" He said so dryly, I got concerned.

I snapped out of my trance of excitement and looked at him with big worried eyes.

"What about me, Dakota? Are you just going to forget your best friend?" His voice became vicious and his green eyes burned with rage.

"Of course not, Dandy, it's just a school dance," I tried to soothe his nerves as quickly as possible, but the dance was only about thirty percent of the issue. The other seventy percent was Billy.

"If you leave, I'll burn your house down," he threatened in a shaky tone, tears bubbling just beneath the surface.

A part of me wanted to laugh as if he was joking.

"I won't dance with Billy, I swear," I promised him. This was obviously the issue I needed to address.

"Liar!" He snarled.

He was _so_ dramatic. Dandy was the most sensitive boy I knew. He also acted only half his age.

"Stay with me, please, Dakota," he began to whine and cry. "If you go to the dance, you'll forget about me!"

"Dandy, I'm going to the dance," I said touching his shoulder sympathetically. "I'm sorry."

"No!" He snapped his shoulder away from my touch. "You have to stay!"

"I-"

"I'll murder your parents and burn down your house!" His threat was real and vulgar.

I knew he was a little unstable but I didn't know he was this insane. I didn't even know what to think. He was probably all bark and no bite, but I wasn't positive, because Dandy was extremely unpredictable. He wouldn't kill someone...would he? I wasn't going to take this risk, so I sadly closed my eyes and nodded to catch his attention before I spoke.

"Okay. I'll stay with you," I said. My eyes were already beginning to water but I would not allow myself to cry in front of him. All the wonderful thoughts of dancing with Billy and wearing my pretty new dress went down the drain. I should have never told Dandy about the dance.

Dandy's face changed in a heartbeat from rage and despair to pure happiness.

"We're going to have so much fun I promise!" Dandy excitedly announced.

That night we ended up playing checkers and puppets, and we finished off the night with a movie. My parents were very skeptical about letting me sleepover at Dandy's house because he was a boy, and normally at our age "playing" could have easily been taken as anything but innocent, but Ms. Gloria convinced them by stating that me and Dandy would be sleeping in separate rooms, which is the plan, and that we would be supervised by Dora. My mom was very disappointed that I wasn't going to the school dance and said that we would just save my dress for another time.

Dandy and I sat in his screening room, but we brought a ton of blankets and popcorn and made a bed on the floor in front of the screen instead of sitting in the movie theater styled chairs that were in elevated rows across the room.

He was getting very tired so he laid on his back on the blankets and eventually I did the same. As soon as I was laying next to him in the mess of blankets and pillows a weird sensation came over me. I had already realized he was cute before but now my stomach tickled of butterflies and knots. Seeing him laying next to me, face to face instead of the screen, I felt like he was almost a different person. In that moment I wished he would kiss me.

"Are you tired?" I asked him in a soft voice to break the silence.

"No," He lied and yawned.

We both laughed.

And then we kissed.

His lips brushed against mine. I didn't know Dandy could be so gentle. His lips were so lightly against mine it was as if they weren't even there. They felt warm and soft and it triggered a chill to rush up my spine. I could feel the eagerness on his mouth as he began to push harder against me, and soon his mouth pried mine open and for the first time, he slipped me a little bit of tongue. I loved how his mouth felt moving with mine, and he must of too, because he bit my bottom lip tenderly at first and then harder.

His arms came around behind me and pulled my body against his. We sank into the cluster of blankets all wrapped in a warm velvety kiss that I wish would never end. I had lost concept of time, but we both, probably at the same time, realized we had to breath, so we disconnected our faces for a deep breath.

I couldn't believe that just happened. I was exploding in ecstasy, and I smiled so big, both my hands reached up to cover my mouth and muffle my laugh. He laughed too. _He was so cute._ All of my negative thoughts about not going to the dance were miles away. We ended up sleeping in separate rooms, as the plan told, but I'm almost a hundred percent positive Dandy was smiling as much as I was in bed, in the room next door.


	3. Vanilla Ice Cream

1946

"Everyone take out last night's homework," Mr. Krumpleton says to the class.

After I took out my homework, I leaned back in my squeaky chair, trying to get through this class. I too tired to listen and my mind was somewhere else.

I stared out the window for a while, watching the breeze rustle through the oak branches. I focused on my reflection against the glass. Long locks of strawberry honey hair practically spilled down my back, flowing and pooling around my chair. My eyes were deep emerald, catching sparks of sunlight that seemed to glow through the window. I felt so pretty against the glass. So young. So pretty. So vulnerable.

"Dakota," a soft whisper was next to me.

I looked away from the window quickly, ashamed that some one might have seen me staring at myself, and when my eyes made contact to the face of the whisper. I was more than embarrassed.

Billy offered a gentle smile. "Do you know what time this class gets out?" he whispered.

"No, sorry," I replied, smiling too. Billy was very cute. He had light hair with a set of amber eyes and sun kissed freckles. He always seemed to be smirking, but that was just his smile.

"It's a shame I didn't see you at the dance last weekend," He said. Clearly he wasn't just asking me what time we got out, he wanted to actually talk to me. I gave into his conversation.

"Yeah I was uh... busy," a few thoughts flickered through my mind. "Was it fun?"

"Yeah it was really fun, I wanted to slow dance with someone but I never did," Billy flashed me another smirk.

I narrowed my eyes a little bit. I may not be very book smart, but I definitely am not stupid. He was hinting that he wanted to dance with me but I didn't go. Boys were too easy to read. Except Dandy. I wasn't sure whether to accept his compliment or not, because I knew if I did that would make him think I liked him back and he obviously liked me.

"There are lots of pretty girls to dance with," I took a unclear route, hoping it would end the subject but it didn't.

"I didn't really think any of the girls who were _at_ the dance were that pretty," Billy says.

"Yeah but-" I tried to say.

"And even if I did, I was saving a dance for you." Then the bell rang. Billy grabbed his bag, nodded at me, then went out the door.

My mouth hung open. I knew he liked me. My stomach turned. Not the good kind of butterflies but it was more of a bitter feeling. Almost like _betrayal._

The next day when I saw Billy I decided that my sour feelings would go away and I should just take the opportunity while I have it.

"You saved a dance for me," I stated dryly when we were face to face again.

He turned away from his locker and motioned for his friend to go away. "I did. I still have it right here," He joked.

"Ha, very funny. But I don't dance, so you can keep it." I said smartly. "I was hoping you'd rather do something else."

A glimmer of hope caught in Billy's eyes and he smiled as big as his mouth would let him. "Perfect! Do you like ice cream?"

 _Did I like ice cream? Out of all the damn things, it had to be ice cream._

1943

"I want rocky road!"

"Sorry, dear, I'm afraid they're all out of rocky road," Ms. Mott says and tenderly pats his head. "You love ice cream, there are plenty of flavors."

"I want chocolate, Ms. Gloria," I said after Dandy stormed off to go sit at the booth.

"Of course, you're always so easy, dear," Ms. Gloria gently smiled. "I'll just get my little darling, vanilla. That used to be his favorite."

I nodded and went back to the booth to sit with Dandy. The whole ice cream parlor was diner themed with checker board flooring and red tables and chairs. We went every Friday for months.

Dandy sat with his chin in his palms and his feet dangling (he was too short to reach the floor) in a sour mood. When I sat down he huffed an angry breath but I wasn't about to give his attitude a speck of attention. So I ignored that he was angry and decided to change the subject.

"It's starting to get real cold out."

No response.

"This is a good song."

No response.

"We should go pick a song for the jukebox."

He lit up. "Yeah let's play Everly Brothers."

"Haha, that got you," I couldn't help but grin as he struggled not to smile too. And then failed. "What song, Captain Dandy?"

He smiled too big at that one. "All I Have To Do Is Dream."

We got off the booth and Dandy followed me to the jukebox. I put a nickle in and we played his song.

When we got back to our table, our ice cream was there. Dandy didn't care that he didn't get rocky road anymore. I was so good at changing his attitude. It was my specialty.

We sat and ate it in silence for a few minutes until Dandy put his finger in some and wiped it on the tip of my nose, and I of course had to get him back. By the time I was done with him there was ice cream every where. We were dying of laughter but Ms. Gloria was definitely not amused. After we begged for some time she finally bought us more and instead of playing with it, we went outside to eat it, so we could look at the stars and sit on the steps of the parlor.

"See that star right there?" Dandy asked and pointed into the sky. I didn't see what star he was talking about specifically because there were billions but I pretended I did anyway.

"Yeah."

"It's mine."

I let out a laugh, but he was serious.

"You can't own a star."

"Yes I can. It's mine."

There was no point in arguing with him. "Alright, Dandy, it's yours."

"That's right," he nodded.

I ran my frozen fingers through a long strand of hair. "I can't feel my fingers."

"Me neither, but you can probably feel this," Dandy smiled mischievously and pressed his icy hand against the back of my neck.

"Hey!" I screamed. But when I jumped my ice cream feel out of my lap and spilled onto the pavement. "Dandy!"

He looked amused for a few moments but then sorry. Like genuinely sorry.

"I'm sorry, Dakota," He said, his green eyes big with sincerity. Then he did something he never does. "You can have mine."

"Really?" I asked in disbelief as he handed me his bowl. "Thank you, Dandy."

We sat in silence for a bit before Dandy spoke.

"Will you be my best friend?" he asked.

"I thought we already were," I payed little mind to his question because he was always rambling like this. Even though it's annoying I'll cherish his rambling and dumb questions.

"But you have to promise that we're best friends and that we will be forever, no matter what," His tone was firm, as if I was threatening our friendship. I didn't understand why he was so worried but if it would make him happy, I would gladly reassure him.

"I promise," I said too dryly.

"You have to cross your heart," His tone got softer.

I crossed my heart gently with my finger. "I promise," He leaned a little closer to my face. I could almost feel his vanilla ice cream breath ghost across my skin.

"And swear on my star," He nodded at the sky.

"It's not your-"

"Yes it is. Now swear."

It was cute that he was this concerned.

"I swear on your star, we will be best friends forever," I said, my voice came out shaky for some reason. In a moment he got a little bit closer, we almost touched mouths, but he froze. We were so still for a few long, long heartbeats, until he gently tilted his head forward and our sticky ice cream mouths touched for a second. One vanilla second. And then he moved away.

"Come on, let's go," He stood up.

Vanilla was my favorite flavor from that moment on.

1946

At the ice cream parlor with Billy, I felt so uneasy for some reason. Just with the nostalgia from all the past memories of coming here with Dandy made it almost feel weird being here with someone else.

"What'll it be kids?" The ice cream man asked when we got to the counter.

"Mint chocolate chip, please," Billy said. "What would you like Dakota?"

"Vanilla," I replied without even thinking about it. I wondered if Dandy's star was out tonight too.

We sat along the bar on the tall stools and listened to music while waiting for ice cream.

"Have you ever been here before?" Billy asked.

I let out a sarcastic laugh. "Only million times."

"I've been here once. Coach took the whole baseball team after we won the biggest game of the season," Billy explained.

"I didn't know you played baseball," I said. I always loved baseball.

His face lit up when he realized it had caught my attention and he took advantage. "Oh yeah, I'm a real pro. Best pitcher the Rockets ever had."

"That's great, I should come see you next game," I said. It wouldn't hurt to buy into his bragging for a little bit.

"Yeah, then you could see me in action, I'm real mean on the field."

"Do the Rockets always win?" I batted my eye lashes for him.

"Almost every time. Thanks to me of course!"

After three of Billy's 'amazing baseball stories' our ice cream got here.

I took a bite. As soon as the vanilla hit my tongue, my stomach turned a little bit. I wish I came here with Dandy instead of Billy.

"This is amazing," Billy said with his mouth full of ice cream. "Hey we should go bowling after this.

"I have to go home after this, maybe another time," I replied.

Honestly I wanted to get ice cream and go bowling with Dandy. I don't understand why, because for so long I've wanted Billy but it just didn't feel right. Now that I have him around my finger I realized that he's not that great. Not that Dandy's great or anything, he's just different. And I didn't want to like Dandy like that either. I wanted to like him as my best friend forever but I always get butterflies with Dandy. Not Billy. When I'm with Dandy it feels like I just got home from a long road trip. I don't think there's anyone else in the whole world that makes me feel that way.


End file.
